ANT/Biofuel expedition from Jakarta to Manado Launched

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Biofuel (BBN) development national team launched an expedition of 18 cars running on biofuel from Manado in North Sulawesi, to Jakarta.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro saw off the expedition here on Monday in the presence of the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) chairman Said D Jenie and BBN chairperson Al Hilal Hamdi.

All the 18 cars will be transported to Manado by ship. They will leave Manado for Gorontalo on July 30. The 18 cars will be passing Palu, Mamuju, Makassar, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Bandung and finally reach Jakarta on August 10.

Three percent to 20 percent of the biofuel consists of bioethanol, 2.5 percent to 20 percent biodiesel, and 10 percent butanol.

Forty percent of the biofuel used by the trucks taking part in the expedition is pure palm oil that will be turned to fuel by a converter.

Purnomo said the aim of the expedition was not only to test engine endurance and fuel consumption, but also to encourage people to utilize biofuel.

The would be a test prior to the holding of the 13th Conference of the Parties (CoP) on climate change in Bali on December 3-14, 2007.

He said the government based on presidential decree No.5/2006 on national energy policy set a target of utilizing biofuel 5 percent to 10 percent of national energy composition by 2010.

Cars which will be used by the UN conference delegates will utilize biofuel, he said.(*)